V90 Media System Crashing

[Mark1988]

Hi All,

I have a V90 on a 68 plate, and am having a real nightmare with it. The media system crashes at least 4-5 times a day, and I was wondering if anyone else has had the same issue? When it crashes it gets stuck on loading on the phone and radio sections, and the sat nav thinks it is in Sweden (Inom Vellgraven). It will sit like this for 5 mins or so, then the main screen and the screen between the dials go blank with a strange noise from the speakers. It re-starts and repeats the crashing sequence three or four times then comes back to life for a few hours before it does it again. I am hugely frustrated with it now (especially as I need the sat nav for my job - propping my phone in the console with Waze on is really not brilliant.

It has been seen by two separate dealers who have both said they have resolved the issue, only for it to re-appear a few days later. It is being seen by another dealer next week, and I was wondering if anyone else has had the same issue?

I have had an absolute nightmare with this car due to the dealership I bought it from, and this is making me really regret buying the car, which is a shame as I’ve wanted one for a long time.


Edit.. I have also noticed that there is some sort of metallic ticking when I turn the car off, is this normal on these cars, or something else to ask them to look at?

[Mark1988]

https://youtu.be/jQ96X6B03lg Is a video of it crashing if it helps, only the third time today so it’s doing well!

[Wedge0107]

Spookily this happened to me for the 1st time today. Exactly same symptoms as you've described. I ended up switching off the car while I was stationery at a set of lights. All rebooted back ok and didn't happen again for rest of the journey. Will keep an eye on it it and I'd been keen to understand if you end up getting a resolution if it's happening to your car all the time.

[Philip Fisher]

The problem is, that a lot of problems are solved by updated software. So much so that some dealers think everything is solved by a software update.......

Your issue is either software or hardware.

Many of us have had software glitches and perhaps what you describe maybe once or twice, I certainly did, but not continually as you describe.

So what it needs is some decent fault finding. Software update is just a patch of new coding. This obviously isn't working.

I would suggest it needs full software re-install. Then see if fixed. If not then it is hardware. Some people have had new modules fitted when problems just won't go away.

Fundamentally you need a good dealer with a bit of knowledge who gives a stuff. They are out there, perhaps post your location and where you might often travel to and ask for suggestions? There are some up here, Riverside, Ray Chapman et al. but it looks like you are Essex way so perhaps ask for suggestions? They are good cars. Unfortunately dealer fault finding can sometimes let them down, and with over 100 electronic control modules you need some decent fault finding.....

[Mark1988]

Originally Posted by Wedge0107

Spookily this happened to me for the 1st time today. Exactly same symptoms as you've described. I ended up switching off the car while I was stationery at a set of lights. All rebooted back ok and didn't happen again for rest of the journey. Will keep an eye on it it and I'd been keen to understand if you end up getting a resolution if it's happening to your car all the time.

I hope it doesn’t start happening to you as often as it does for me! Yes I will let you know what they do, and if it works. It had a software update which cleared it for a couple of weeks last time it was in, but it came back and started crashing a lot. I’ve had to stop, lock the car and wait 10 mins before it would start working again before, it has got very frustrating!

[Mark1988]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

The problem is, that a lot of problems are solved by updated software. So much so that some dealers think everything is solved by a software update.......

Your issue is either software or hardware.

Many of us have had software glitches and perhaps what you describe maybe once or twice, I certainly did, but not continually as you describe.

So what it needs is some decent fault finding. Software update is just a patch of new coding. This obviously isn't working.

I would suggest it needs full software re-install. Then see if fixed. If not then it is hardware. Some people have had new modules fitted when problems just won't go away.

Fundamentally you need a good dealer with a bit of knowledge who gives a stuff. They are out there, perhaps post your location and where you might often travel to and ask for suggestions? There are some up here, Riverside, Ray Chapman et al. but it looks like you are Essex way so perhaps ask for suggestions? They are good cars. Unfortunately dealer fault finding can sometimes let them down, and with over 100 electronic control modules you need some decent fault finding.....

Thank you for your reply, it has been in twice before, the first time they said they had re-installed the software (but I have had a huge number of issues with that dealership so I don’t believe a word they say) and the second time it had the latest software installed, which cleared it for a few weeks.

I expect the occasional software glitch, but the way it is at the moment is making it very difficult to put up with, it is at least 4/5 times in a 12 hour shift, and navigating around Central London is tricky enough with a sat nav, it gets a lot more difficult if the car thinks it is in Sweden!

I will ask the dealership to do a full re-install of the software and then see how it gets on, hopefully that will resolve the issues.

I am in Braintree Essex, I’m hoping the dealership at Chelmsford where it is going in a couple of days will be a lot more professional and competent then the dealership I bought it from, I had to make a director level complaint just to get the issues the car was delivered with resolved (they lied about the car having a service when it hadn’t been, delivered it with loads of scratches all over the body, tried to give me a used scratched boot liner for full price along with a few other issues and completely ignored me when it came to call backs and emails), so my trust in dealerships isn’t high at the moment! I hope this one is a lot better and try to help, the car is brilliant, just very frustrating at the moment. Keeping my fingers crossed, it’s a different franchise so hopefully they will be more willing to help.

[GJB]

How about name and shaming the original dealer?

[Mark1988]

I don’t want to name the original dealer as I’ve agreed compensation with them and I don’t want them to go back on it.

As far as the issues go, it went in yesterday and they said there is a known compatibility issue with iPhones, they said they can’t re-install software (which I find hard to believe) and all they have done is uninstall the apps on the car and un-pair the phones. I doubt this will make much of a difference, but I will see how it goes.

[Mark1988]

It didn’t work, it got stuck on loading again tonight so will have to go back in again.. Getting fed up with this car now!

[dchbrown]

I just wanted to add that mine is currently (as in today) in the garage for this exact issue.

It has done this (along with 3 reboots and then fine) on and off since i had the vehicle, and mine is a 68 plate as well.

What makes me think Volvo might be aware of this is I have just had a call from the garage asking about whether i used DAB or FM radio very much, specifically if i used DAB a lot.

That leads me to think there is an issue with the radio "app" and they are aware of it. The garage implied that it might be some time for a fix if they don't get an update back from Sweden this afternoon for this issue.

I will reply again later if i hear anything further.